Crimping apparatus



Oct. 7, 1958 L W. RAINARD ETAL CRIMPING APPARATUS Filed March 18, 1955 l' ORNEY United States Patent CRIMPING APPARATUS Leo W. Rainard and Ewart H..Shattuck, Wilmington, Del., -assignors .to Joseph Bancroft & -Sons Company, Wilmington, Del., a .corporation .of Delaware Application March 18, l`1955,Serial No. 495,128

4.C1ail118. (Cl. v28-1) This invention relates to apparatus for crimping continuous lfilament yarn -and -tow 'and has for an 4object 'to provide an apparatus Iof the above type-having novel and improved characteristics.

Another .object is to Vprovide a stutter crimper `having novel `and -improved means for controlling 'the ,length of time -the crimped fibers 4are subjected to setting conditions.

Another object is vto provide `a stuffer crimper having novel and improved means for introducing a iluid agent into .the crimping chamber.

Another object Ais to provide a stuer crimper having novel and improved Ameansfor varying the size of the crimping chamber.

Other objects and `advantages will be apparent as the nature -of v-the invention is more full-y disclosed.

The nature lof the invention will be vbetter understood b y referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a specific embodiment Athereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing:

Fig. A1 is a vertical section through a stuler crimper embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is alpartial horizontal section taken on the `line 2-2gof Fig. '1. Y

'Referring to the drawing more in detail La crimping chamber block is shown as attached to a supporting plate 11 by screws 12. The block 10 is formed with a vertical bore in which a sleeve 13 is nxed by a press fit. A tube 14 tits loosely in the sleeve 13 and 'is adjustably secured by a clamping Anut 15 threaded onto the tapered split end 16 of the sleeve 13. The plate 11 carries a bearing in which is journalled .a shaft 20 carrying `a feed roll 21. A second feed roll 22 is .carried on a shaft 23 journalled in a bearing in an arm 24, pivotally attached as by a pin 25 to a bracket 26 which is attached to or carried by -the "plate 411. The shaft 20 is driven lby a source -of power 'such as a motor, not shown. VThe `shaft 23 is driven in unison therewith by meshing gears carried by the respective shafts 20 and 23.

The feed rolls 21 and 22 are held in pressure engagement with the yarn by means of a spring 31 attached to a post 32 on the arm 24 and to a post 33 on the plate 11. Adjustment is provided by threaded pin 33a and nut 34. The yarn 30 is guided to the bite of the feed rolls 21 and 22 by a fixed guide 35 which is attached by a screw 36 to the plate 11.

The lower end of the tube 14 is slotted to form a saddle to receive the rolls 21 and 22 and extends below the bite of the rolls to form therewith a substantially closed crimping chamber 49 into which the yarn 3d is fed for crimpmg.

The tube 14 is formed with a bore 41 of larger diameter than the crimping chamber 40 and extending from its upper end to a point near lthe lower end of the block 10 and terminating above the chamber 40 in a tapered shoulder 42. A sleeve 43 is disposed within this bore 41 and is formed at its lower end with a tapered end surface '44 intersecting the innerbore o'f the sleeve at .a knife edge and adapted .to rest `upon or to ,be slightly spaced above the tapered shoulder 42 of the tube 14. The `sleeve Y43 is adjustably `held in the tube A14 by la bushing 45 which 'is clamped against vtherend of the tube 14 by a cap nut 46. The 'outer surface of 'the sleeve '43 :is -smaller than the ibore=41 so as 'to providean annularpassage v48 `extending around the sleeve 43 `from the upper portion vof 'the sleeve to the lower endtheredf adjacent othe Ashoulder '42. A treating fluid may lbe 4`introduced intothis'annular passage by .apipe 49 which iis secured to the tube 14 above the block 10 and l,is contro'lled by anadjustable `valve 50. A suitable .setting fluid such as steam or hot `-water or a chemical setting agent ora dye may -be introduced "into the crimping chamber through the jpipe Y49 'or thebers may Vbe oiled by the introduction of controlled quantities of oil 'throughjtheppipe 49 vas desired. In-the event that no uid is `to be introduced ithrough 'the `pipe '49 the sleeve 43 'is Vpreferably seated against the -shoulder 42 of the vtube 14 'so that a continuous passage 'is provided for 'the crimped yarn.

The block 10 may be heated by suitablemeans as by a Cai-lrod J5'1 which yis inserted in a bore '52 in the block 10 and extends parallel tothe tube 14 so as to 'heat the walls thereof. `The Calrod may be controlled so as to raise the iibers in the tube 1'4 to the .temperature necessary for crimping and setting.

In order to introduce oil, 'adj/e, a setting agent, Vor other `material finto the sleeve 43 a cup 60 is attached .'to the sleeve Iabove the bloc'k 10. The Atreating liquid is maintained at a predetermined level 'in 'the cup '60 iby a tu'be -61 Yextending from a Areservoir 62 'to 'the predetermined leve'L The reservoir 62 is Iattached to the plate 1-1 above the cup 60. The flow of treating uid into the -sleeve 43 is vcontrolled by a valve stem r63 seating .in an 'opening 64 in lthe Wall of the sleeve 43 and extending through the peripheral iwall of the cup vr60. The valve stem 63 4is provided with `a manual adjustment knob "65 and with ;a suitable vbushing 66 to secure -the same in adjustable position-'to `the wal-l of the cup 60.

A plug 67 Ais inserted in the top of the sleeve 43 .to rest Aupon the crimped yar-n y68 ywithin the sleeve. The crimped yarn 68 is withdrawn through the bore -69 of the plug 67 by `take-up rolls '70 which may `be operated at a constant rate bearing a predetermined relationship to therate of Vfeed by the yfeed rolls '2i vand 22, whichrelationship rmay `be adjusted in response to variations in position of the Vplug 67 iso as vto maintain 'the plug at a 'constant level within the 'sleeve 43, as shown in Patent No. 2,734,251 issued -February 14, V1956.

In operation the Vfeed drolls 21 and 2'2-feed the -yarn 30 into the crimping chamber against the `pressure exerted by the mass of crimped yarn in the chamber. The mass of crimped yarn is advanced along the chamber and along the sleeve 43 by the pressure of the incoming yarn and is withdrawn under tension from the top of the chamber by the take-up rolls 7d. The yarn in the crimping chamber may be treated by the uid injected through the pipe 49, which flows downwardly along the sleeve 43 and into the chamber 40 when the sleeve is raised from its seat on shoulder 42. This treatment may be adapted to soften the yarn to facilitate the crimping and setting, or, in the case of yarns which are settable by moisture or other setting agent, such setting agent may be introduced through the pipe 49.

As the crimped yarn is forced upwardly through the chamber and through the sleeve 43 it is maintained under crimping pressure and is heated to a temperature suited to facilitate setting of the crimp by the heated walls of the member 10. At the same time the yarn may be oiled by means of oil supplied from the cup 60.

The length of the sleeve 43 is so selected that the crimp Athat the sleeve 43 may be replaced by a sleeve of a different length or of a diiferent diameter according to the nature of the filaments beingk crimped and is selected so as to obtain the most eicient crimping condition. Also if it is not desired to introduce a uid agent into the chamber 40 the pipe 49 may be omitted or the valve 50 closed and the sleeve 43 may be adjusted to bear against the shoulder 42 as above specified. For this purpose the bottom of the sleeve 43 is shaped to seat accurately against the shoulder 42 so as to prevent injury to the yarn by being pinched between the bottom of the sleeveY and the shoulder 42 due to any irregularities in the mating surfaces. Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration it is to be understood that the invention is capable of various uses and that changes and adaptations may be made therein as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is: A

1. Apparatus for crimping yarn comprising a member having a bore extending therethrough, a tube extending through said bore and secured to said member, a pair of feed rolls disposed to feed said yarn into one end of said tube, said tube having a saddle disposed at the bite of said feed rolls to form a confined crimping chamber in which said yarn is crimped as it is fed by said rolls against a mass of yarn held compacted in said tube, said tube having an enlarged bore beginning at `a point adjacent to the Crimping chamber and extending to the other end of said tube, a sleeve disposed in said enlarged bore and forming a continuation of said crimping chamber, said enlarged bore forming an annular passage around the outside of said sleeve communicating with said crimping chamber, means including a port in said tube to supply a treating uid to said annular passage, and take-up means to withdraw the crimped yarn under tension from said sleeve after passing as a compacted mass through said crimping chamber and through said sleeve.

, 2. Apparatus for crimping yarn comprising a member having a bore extending therethrough, a tube extending through said bore and secured t-o said member, a pair of feed rolls disposed to feed said yarn into one end of said tube, said tube having a saddle disposed at the bite of said feed rolls to form a conned crimping chamber in which said yarn -is crimped as it is fed by said rolls against a mass of yarn held compacted in said tube, a sleeve disposed within said tube and adjustably secured thereto, said sleeve extending from the other end of said tube toward said first mentioned end and having an inner passage forming a continuation of said crimping chamber, means supplying a treating liquid to said sleeve including a port in the upper part of said sleeve above said tube, a source of liquid supply and connections feeding liquid from said source through said port into said seleve, and take-up means to withdraw the crimped yarn under tension from said sleeve after passing as a compacted mass through said crimping chamber and through said sleeve.

3. Apparatus for crimping yarn comprising a member having a bore extending therethrough, a tube extending through said bore and secured to said member, a pair of feed rolls disposed to feed said yarn into one end of said tube, said tube having a saddle disposed at the bite of said feed rolls to form a conned crimping chamber in which said yarn is crimped as it is fed by said rolls against a mass of yarn held compacted in said tube, a sleeve disposed within said tube and adjustably secured thereto, said sleeve extending from the other end of said tube toward said rst mentioned end and having an inner passage form-Y ing a continuation of said crimping chamber, and meansv supplying treating liquid to said sleeve Vincluding a cup carried by said sleeve above said tube, means maintaining said liquid at a predetermined level in said cup, said sleeve having a port below said liquid level and valve means controlling the iow of liquid through said port into said sleeve and take-up means to withdraw the crimped yarn; under tension from said sleeve after passing as a compacted mass through said crimping chamber and through` said sleeve.

4. Apparatus for crimping yarn comprising a member having a bore extending therethrough, a tube disposed in said bore, a pair of feed rolls disposed to feed said yarn into one end of saidftube, said tube having a saddle disposed at the bite of said feed rolls to form a confined crimping chamber in which said yarn is crimped as it is fed by said rolls against a mass of yarn held compactedA in said tube, said tube having an enlarged inner bore beginning at a point adjacentv to the crimping chamber and extending to the other end of said tube, a sleeve disposed in said enlarged bore and having an inner passage forming a continuation of said crimping chamber, and meanssecuring said sleeve for axial adjustment with respect to said tube.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,575,781 Barach --t Nev. zo, 1951l 2,575,833 Pfau et al Nov. 20, 1951 2,575,838 Rainard Nov. 20, 1951 2,575,839 Rainard Nov. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS j 487,711 Great Britain .Tune 24, 1938 595,634 Great Britain Dec. 11, 1947. 

